Comments from dodgerg

To all — I just got diagnosed with acute leukemia, so I won’t be around too much longer. But I didn’t want to just disappear without thanking you all for all of the hard work you have put into this wonderful site. As some of you know I actually worked at the Astor in 1955, so these pics and your memories are invaluable to me. Please know that your diligent research is appreciated more than I can say.
Respectfully,
Roger W. Gardner (Dodger)

Hi Leroy. We’ve talked before. No, unfortunately I didn’t come to work there until about two months after that premier, but East of Eden was showing while I was there. I believe I mentioned that I still have a pay envelope from there dated May 1955.
Roger

That’s right Warren. I remember my parents and I dressing up to go to movies in the forties. Most people did. It was a big event, similar perhaps today to going to a Broadway show — although, nowadays people don’t even dress up for that all the time, do they?

Good intelligent comments Lius V. How can anyone disagree with you? I would only point out that a few of us are remembering a time before the 70s and 80s, back in the 50s, when — at least in my memory — it really did have character and even 42nd St. wasn’t that bad. I used to walk home to West 4th St. in the Village from the Astor at 2AM and not think twice about it. Of course I was 18 and knew I would live forever. All progress it seems comes with a price; but as you point out so well, the price of losing some theaters that had already all but died in order to cleanup New York City was probably a fair one.

To Roy Barry — It was great to read your posting. I stil can’t seem to get an email to that address, so here’s the info in a nutshell. Although we must have worked together, the reason you can’t remember me is most likely because I didn’t work at the Astor that long — probably only a matter of weeks. However, I do have a pay envelope dated May 18, 1955 from City Entertainment Corporation and a handwritten note to a Mr. Helsinger(?)from “Gallagher” which reads: “This will introduce Mr. G—–. He starts tonight as usher."
I own 2 DVDs that feature the 1950s Astor pretty prominently : Kubrick’s "Killer’s Kiss”, and Kazan’s “East of Eden”. On the East of Eden premier section, there are some good closeups of the ushers and doormen. I wonder if you are in these pictures? Thanks again for your posting. I have great memories of those times.
Dodger

One of my earliest — and scariest — memories of the old Egyptian Theater dates back to 1948, when I saw “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” there at a late afternoon matinee. By the time the movie ended, it was starting to get dark, and I had to walk back home alone, constantly looking over my shoulder for the terrifying Frankenstein Monster, whom I was certain was following me home. Just one of my many fond memories of that great old theater.

In the 1940s and early 50s, my parents would take us to Germantown for dinner and a movie. After dinner, we would generally go to one of the 4 theaters in the vicinity of Germantown Ave. and Chelten Ave. — the Orpheum, on Chelten Ave.; the Colonial and the Vernon, on Germantown Ave.; and the Bandbox, on a little side street off of Germantown Ave. The Bandbox was definitely the smallest of the 4. Unfortunately, I don’t recall the lounge.

Throughout the 1940s and early 50s, for those of us who grew up in Cynwyd or Bala, the Egyptian Theater (or the “Egg-pit”, as we used to call it) was our beloved neighborhood theater. We went there at least once a week, and for innumerable Saturday matinees. Some time during the early 50s, I worked there part-time as a projectionist’s assistant. I remember, after the movies, we would get penny candy at the little candy store located just to the left of the theater, called “Pops”. So many of my wonderful childhood memories are associated with the old Egyptian Theater. Although the name has been changed, and the interior has been drastically re-configured, a good portion of it is, thankfully, still existent — and still magnificent. Thank you to those who posted pictures. They are greatly appreciated.